Today Mrs Kader,at the Catholic University “Sacro Cuore” in Milan,
partecipated at the presentation of the book “The Church in Iraq.
History, development and mission, from its beginnings to the present
day” (Libreria Editrice Vaticana) written by Cardinal Fernando Filoni
currently Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of
Peoples, who combines his interest in history to the experience he
lived when he was nuncio in Baghdad during the war in Iraq in 2003 and
to his current duties as Prefect of Propaganda Fide.
Attending the meeting the Dean of the Catholic University, Franco
Anelli, Sen. Pier Ferdinando Casini, President of the Foreign Affairs
Committee of the Senate of the Republic, the Director of
"Corriere della Sera" Luciano Fontana and two professors of
the Catholic University, Agostino Giovagnoli and Elisa Giunipero.
The book, Dean Anelli said, is an historical overview of more than
twenty centuries of Christians presence in Iraq thanks to the
extensive knowledge of this area by Cardinal Filoni as special envoy
of the Holy Father since 2014.
This volume, continuing the two professors of the Catholic University,
is the first attempt to collection the complete history of the
Christians presence in Iraq, bringing out a deep admiration for them
by Cardinal Filoni and the role of a church with a strong theological
tradition.
Senator Casini spoke about a fundamental testimony that describes the
path of a heroic church that is facing enormous difficulties, in those
country (Iraq and Syria) where there was great respect for the value
of secularism and so they have become targets of Isis terrorists. The
book also shows, continued the Senator, the serious historical
responsibilities of the West that led to the current instability,
although the Kurds, who are the only force able to creating the
conditions for future stability.
Cardinal Filoni thanked the present for their hospitality and the
words they expressed for his book, that wants to be a starting point
for reflection on the glorious history of the Church and Christianity
in general and a landmark of memory and study for the Chaldean Church
also. The Christians of Iraq are an important part, not a minority,
the cardinal said, mentioning the meeting with the President of
Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani, in which was reaffirmed the right of
everyone to live in their own land. Cardinal Filoni also recalled his
mission in the region with Mrs. Kader where he had the opportunity to
visit the places of worship.
The High Representative intervened pointing out that, in the Region,
the term minority is not used, because Kurdistan is a peace mosaic
inspired by the principles of ethnic and religious integration where
all the components represented live in peace.
